5 Tips for Writing Controversial Blog Posts

When used properly, controversy can be a great vehicle for driving traffic to your blog, gaining new readers, getting a conversation going, helping a post go viral, establishing you as a thought leader, and so on and so forth. Unfortunately, writing controversial blog posts effectively is harder than it seems. It requires a delicate touch. There’s a thin line between being controversial and being an idiot or an attention-seeker. You have to know how to write controversial posts that come across as authentic and that make sound, reasonable points, so that it doesn’t look like you’re being controversial just for the sake of being controversial.

Here are some good tips to help you when you’re writing a controversial blog post.

Believe what you’re saying—Too many times, bloggers try too hard to be controversial just because they want some attention. If you aren’t truly passionate about your stance on an issue, don’t write about it. You should only be controversial when you truly believe in what you’re saying; otherwise, you’ll come across as a phony. Bloggers must be consistent in their viewpoints, or else they’ll never keep readers.

Back it up with facts—It’s fine to have an unpopular opinion. Just make sure there’s some sort of logic behind it. The more logical your argument, the more seriously your readers will take you. Back up your argument with plenty of facts and sound reasoning.

Leave room for discussion—Remember, the point of a controversial blog post isn’t just to persuade readers to take your side; the point is to get people talking. You want to start a good discussion. That’s why you shouldn’t try too hard to make your argument irrefutable. It’s okay for there to be some holes in your argument. That will give people fodder for discussion and healthy debate.

Post it early in the week—A controversial blog post can get attention for several days. That’s why you need to post it early in the week to give it the chance to go viral throughout the week. Posting it too late in the week will cause the attention to die out over the weekend.

Keep the conversation going—Make sure you’re around to respond to comments on your blog post and to engage in the conversation anywhere else it takes place, such as on Twitter. Conversation will keep the flames burning and the traffic driving to your post.

What are your best tips for writing controversial blog posts?

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